Permission Or Not, Teens Losing Cigarette Privilege

Wheeling — Aiming to curb teen smoking, village officials plan to revise a 10-year-old tobacco ordinance by eliminating a provision that allows minors to purchase cigarettes with parental permission.

"At the time the original ordinance was written, it may have seemed reasonable to include language allowing minors to purchase tobacco with a parent's permission," said Ingrid Velmke, assistant village manager. "However, the exemption undermines the original intent to discourage smoking among minors and certainly opens a window to circumventing the law."

During the past school year, Wheeling police wrote 25 citations with fines ranging from $25 to $100 for violations of its current ordinance, mostly to underage smokers at Wheeling High School and Holmes Junior High.

Village trustees also expressed support for a measure that would require convenience store owners and others who sell cigarettes to post signs warning of hefty fines to minors caught attempting to purchase cigarettes.

The board will take a final vote on the proposal within the next two weeks, officials said.